1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a snow board with a divided gliding surface.
2. The Prior Art
In recent years various solutions have become known which relate to the configuration as well as to the technical feasibility of snow boards. These changes relate to snow boards of conventional manufacture as unitary structures as well as to snow boards of divided structure.
The configuration of snow boards as divided structures in particular is to yield improved support structures and flexibility of snow boards. It proceeds upon the general recognition, and with due consideration of the variously constructed runways, that the flexibility of a snow boards has a significant effect upon its motion characteristics. When running along curves the properties of a snow board are determined by its laterally concave waistline.
The vertical flexibility of a snow board, i.e. its resilient resistance against upward and downward movements of its end sections, significantly affects its motion characteristics. When a snow board is gliding longitudinally over snow with its full surface in engagement therewith it is necessary by a properly designed flexibility that in dents the two ends of the snow board flex upwardly relative to the middle sections and that over projections or elevations it provides for a certain counter flexing.
The properties of a snow board moving along curves are determined on the one hand by its waistline—the center section is generally narrower than its end sections—and, on the other hand, by the flexibility of the longitudinal edge facing the inside of the curve. When moving in a curve, the snow board is tipped, i.e. it tilts laterally; so that only its longitudinal edge at the inside of the curve is in contact with snow whereas the edge at the outside of the curve is lifted more or less off the snow.
German utility model specification DE 201 13 739 U1 describes a snow board of a unitary body structure with a slot extending essentially along its center axis from the rear end of the board to at least its central area, thus forming two separate arms connected by the unitary front section. The slot divides the gliding surface of the snow board into two separate gliding surfaces which may have a positive effect on the gliding resistance, yet it has resulted in a change in the typical snow board structure by substantially reducing the narrow center section such that it has a negative effect upon running in curves.
A snow board with a divided gliding surface is disclosed by German specification DE 198 20 619 A1 for providing an improved pressure distribution profile to make snow boarding sensitive and controlled. The drawback of this solution is that for running the two separate gliding surfaces must, of course, be connected such that the desired advantages are attained. This is to be accomplished by a spring and dampening spacer element mounted on the two gliding components between the support plate and the gliding surface at the two gliding members. This type of connection is technologically and economically complex and necessitates a different kind of binding between the snow board and the shoe different from the structure of conventional bindings and very complicated in structure.